Device for contracting and reloading gun-shells.



'No. 870,608.. PATENTED NOV. 12, 1907.

J. ANSELL.

DEVICE FOR CONTRACTING AND RELOADING GUN SHELLS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. a. 1907.

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No. 870,608. PATENTED Now-12, 1907.

J. ANSELL. v DEVICE FOR CONTRACTING AND RELOADING GUN SHELLS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8, 1907.

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JAMES ANSELL, OF MCKEESPORT, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM A. HURLEY, OF MCKEESPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

DEVICE FOR CONTRACTING AND RELOADING GUN-SHELLS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1907.

Application filed March 8 1907. Serial No. 361.228-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, .lxnns ANsnLL, a citizen of the United States, residing at McKeesport, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Devices for Contracting and Reloading Gun-Shells, of which improvement the following is a specification.

It is found that gun shells, especially those partly formed of paper, after being used one or more times, become practically useless for reloading purposes owing to becoming expanded to such extent as to prevent reinsertion in the gun, thus requiring new shells which adds greatly to the cost of the sport.

The object of my invention is to provide a device of simple and practical form, whereby the shells may again be reduced to their normal diameters as well as reloading the same, thus prolonging their usefulness.

I attain the results referred to by the construction and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter described and later pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings several views are shown, in which,

Figure I, is a longitudinal side. Fig. II, a plan. Fig. III, an end. Fig. IV, a transverse section. Fig. -V, a perspective of the shell die. Fig. VI, is an enlarged longitudinal portion of the left hand end of the device, partly in section, showing one, operation. Fig. VII, is a view similar to that of Fig. VI, showing another operation. Fig. VIII, is also a similar view to that of Fig. VI, showing another operation. Fig. IX, is an enlarged longitudinal right side portion, partly in section, showing a further operation, and, Fig. X, is a perspective view of the die abutment plate.

Throughout all views like numerals designate like parts.

The structure comprises a bed-plate 1, adapted to be secured to a table or other support, one end of which is provided with a die holder 2, closed at the rear and sides by a flange 3, the opposite end being also provided with a die holder 4, provided with side flanges 5 having shoulders 6, said bed-plate being further provided with side flanges 7 terminating in vertically disposed lugs S. Fitted between the said flanges, and held in operative position by a strap 9, is a doubleacting horizontally disposed plunger 10, carrying a gear-rack 11 which meshes with a pinion 12, mounted between the said lugs S, on the shaft 13 of the crank 14, said plunger being slightly rounded at the extreme end and provided with a central orifice 1.5, adapted to receive a pin 16. The die employed consists of a metal member 19, having an opening 20 therein corresponding in form to the exterior of and of a diameter originally possessed by the shell. In connection with the die, in some of the operations, a depriming die 22 15 of the plunger, and the die 22 placed in the holder 4, against the shoulders 6, after which the shell to be operated on, which in this instance is designated as 21,

is then slipped over the end of the plunger carrying the pin, as shown at Fig. VI, the crank 14 is then turned, causing the plunger to move, and, through the medium of the pin, force the old primer 21 out through the die 22, which plunger is then returned to its former position, the shell removed, and others operated upon in like manner, after which the pin is removed Each of the deprimed shells is then operated upon in the following manner. A new primer is started into the shell and the shell started into the die 19 as far as it will go, said die being then placed in the holder 2, as shown at Fig. IX, the crank turned causing the plunger to force the shell home into the die and the primer into the seat in the shell. After this operation the die containing the shell is removed from the holder, and, if found necessary the interior smoothed by a suitable implement, the charge of powder and a wad placed in the shell, the abutment plate 24 placed with the die containing the shell in the holder 4 and the charge compressed by means of the plunger, after which the die containing the shell is removed from the holder, the charge of shot and a wad placed in the shell, the die containing the shell is returned to the holder and the charge compressed, as shown at Fig. VII. The plate 24 is then removed and the shell forced out of the die, ready for crimping.

In order to make the device complete in convenience, I have connected thereto a crimping attachment, consisting of an annular ring 23 carried by a bracket 24 at the side of the device, adapted to hold the shell in position during crimping. A pivoted handle 25 having a fork 26 thereon is also carried by the bracket to force the shell into contact with the crimper head 27 on the shaft 28 which passes through an opening in the aforesaid shaft 13, said crimper being rotated by a crank 29.

It sometimes happens that a shell, after being forced into the die, is discovered to be defective, in which case I employ an extension piece 17, having a cavity at its free end and a projection at its opposite end to engage in the orifice of the plunger, whereby the shell is removed from the die, as shown at Fig. VIII.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus shown and described an operative device to carry out my objects, what I claim is 1. In a cartridge loading machine, the combination with a plunger, of a shaft and pinion for moving the plunger endwise for ramming action in conjunction with the shell, shell crimping means carried on one end of the shaft, and operating means for said crimping means passing through said shaft.

2. Ina cartridge loading machine, the combination with a plunger, of a stationary support therefor, an operating shaft journaled in said support, a pinion fixed to said shaft for moving the plunger endwise for ramming action upon the shell, shell crimping means on one end of the shaft, an operating shaft for said means passing through said first named shaft, and shell holding means carried by said support in juxtaposition to said crimping means.

3. In combination with a plunger for acting upon a. shell, of a holder comprising spaced side walls provided with shoulders, a shell contracting die having open ends and being adapted to be received between the side walls of said holder, a removable end plate for closing the rear end of the die to retain the shell therein, said plate engaging said shoulders to prevent displacement of the shell from the die during action of the plunger thereon.

4. In a cartridge loading machine, the combination with a plunger for acting upon the shell and mounted in a suitable base for endwise movement, a pair of spaced Walls on said base provided with shoulders, a holder for the shell having an open rear end and fitting between said walls, a removable end plate for closing said rear end of the holder, said shoulders supporting said holder against endwise movement due to the action of the plunger upon the shell, the space between the walls being greater than the diameter of the shell whereby upon removal of said end plate the shell may be forced by said plunger out of said rear end of the holder and ejected between said walls.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES ANSELL.

Witnesses LAURA E. Fnnnnn, L. G. HAYDEN. 

